Syracuse Basketball Recruiting: Meet the Orange's 2013 Class

The Syracuse Orange have once again landed a solid recruiting class, landing in the ESPN Top 10 for the third time in five years. The Orange's 2013 class is ranked seventh on ESPN.com, 11th by Rivals.com and sixth by Scout.com

Head coach Jim Boeheim did an excellent job of getting players who will fill holes in the depth chart caused by graduation and exiting for the NBA draft. Syracuse must replace three starters from it's Final Four team, including both backcourt positions.

The 2013 recruiting class is made up of five guys, all who signed during the early period in November. The class includes two recruits ranked inside the ESPN Top 50.

Let's take a look at the newest recruits who'll be heading to upstate New York in hopes of returning the Orange to a second consecutive Final Four.

PG Tyler Ennis

Photo courtesy of 247sports.com

Tyler Ennis is ranked by Rivals.com as the fourth-best point guard and is a 5-star recruit. He is a good shooter and an excellent passer who will have an opportunity to make an early impact for the Orange.

Current point guard Michael-Carter Williams recently decided to leave school and head into the NBA draft.

According to his ESPN Recruiting Nation scouting report (subscription required), "Ennis can run the offense and is a terrific play maker and crafty finisher in the lane."

The Orange were used to having a playmaker run the point in Carter-Williams. Ennis will now look to produce for Syracuse in that role.

One area Ennis needs to improve in is his three-point shooting.

Even with that weakness, Ennis, who's ranked 44th in the ESPN 100, is a top prospect and is a huge sign for the Orange.

He'll be looked to as a leader on offense and has the potential to develop into a very talented player at Syracuse.

F Tyler Roberson

Photo courtesy of 247sports.com

Four-star power forward Tyler Roberson is the highest ranked recruit in head coach Jim Boeheim's class. Ranked 27th in the ESPN 100, the Orange added a talented player who will add depth to an already strong frontcourt.

He'll likely start right away, replacing the graduated James Southerland.

According to Recruiting Nation (subscription required), "Roberson is a long and athletic forward who can attack inside and out. He's very active defensively with terrific instincts on that end of the floor." He will be a great fit in Syracuse's patented 2-3 zone.

The Orange finished ranked 20th in the nation in rebounding this past season. The addition of Roberson will only help in that department.

At 6'7", 200 pounds, his frame is still a bit small, but that can improve with time. The scouting report on Roberson also says that he needs to improve his shooting away from the basket.

Look for Roberson to make an immediate impact for the Orange and see major minutes in 2013.

Patterson has the opportunity to see early playing time at Syracuse, as the graduation of Brandon Triche has left a hole at the shooting guard position. While sophomore Trevor Cooney will likely begin the year as the starter, there will be room for Patterson to see the floor.

According to 247Sports.com, he's "a long, lanky athlete at guard, [and] is in particular noted for his explosiveness and his defense."

Johnson is a young recruit who will need some time to fully develop. Current strengths listed on his Recruiting Nation scouting report (subscription required) are that he "has a knack for getting to the ball and his basketball instincts are sharp."

His most notable weakness lies in his shooting ability. According to Recruiting Nation:

"He has shown range with his jump shot but he either doesn't trust it or hasn't developed it to where it's a weapon. He will need to sharpen his range, become a threat from the perimeter."

While Johnson has the potential to turn into a solid performer, don't look for him to make a major impact for the Orange in 2013

"His skill set is really non-existent at this point and he's very rarely a threat to score outside of six feet of the rim. He lacks a dependable move with his back to the basket, has only suspect hands, and a questionable overall feel for the game."

Obokoh does have upside, especially on the defensive end. Much like Keita, he's got a knack for shot-blocking, something that again fits well with what the Orange like to do defensively.

While it may take a while, look for Obokoh to develop into an important defensive player at Syracuse who could surprise on offense.